EAGLES 57 



Stone Hill. The birds can be seen morning and evening 

 soaring above their nest from any vantage point in 

 Featherstone Valley. We append a photograph of the 

 nest and the adventurous method of taking the eggs. 

 We have also much pleasure in reproducing a photo- 

 graph of Dr. Stark, taken in company with Messrs. Ivy 

 and Pym. Messrs. Stark and Ivy are each holding 

 an egg of the eagle. When these eggs were taken a 

 freshly-killed Blue Buck ram was lying in the nest. On 

 one occasion fifty-eight skulls were counted on the 

 ground beneath the nest, comprising Blue Buck, Rhebok, 

 Steinbuck and Rock Rabbit. During recent years the 

 birds seldom drop bones below the nest. 



This pair of eagles generally raise four young each 

 season, the young birds keeping in company with the 

 parents until the warm months. On one occasion the 

 female was shot, but the male found another mate within 

 a couple of weeks, and reared a brood shortly afterwards. 



The Crested Hawk-Eagle (Lophoaetus occipitalis) is 

 of a very dark brown colour, and possesses a long crest 

 of eight to ten narrow feathers about 5 inches in length. 

 This bird has been recorded from George, in the Cape 

 Colony, northwards to the Zambesi. Like the Crowned 

 Hawk-Eagle, it inhabits bush country, but, unlike it, is 

 of a harmless disposition, living principally on reptiles, 

 frogs, and small rodents, such as rats. 



The Bateleur (Helotarsus ecaudatus) is another bird 

 which should not find a place in this chapter, but as 

 we have included most of the eagles here, we also insert 

 the Bateleur. This species called by the Boers the 

 Berghaan is a handsome crested bird of a black colour, 

 with the centre of the back and tail rich maroon chestnut. 



